


The Dust Of Hearts

by Icechild



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Ahsoka Tano Needs a Hug, Blood, CT-7567 | Rex Needs a Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Needs A Hug, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Sorry, Missing Scene, Order 66, Pain, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25147807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icechild/pseuds/Icechild
Summary: SEASON 7 SPOILERSWhat happened while they were burying their dead? What if some were still alive? Would they say goodbyes? Would they make promises? Would they have enough time or would Rex hold more brothers as they died? What will it take for everyone to go home?
Relationships: CT-5597 | Jesse & CT-7567 | Rex, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 9
Kudos: 43





	The Dust Of Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> If you really want this to hurt set Burying the Dead on loop while you read. Totally optional but I think it makes it better/worse.

The dust had yet to settle. The wreckage looming above them like the monument of death and destruction that it was. Creaks and groans filled the air around them, wires snapping, metal whining under the weight that it was not designed to carry. The world seemed empty, the force wrapping around her like it was trying to protect her and apologize to her all at the same time but that didn’t change anything. 

It didn’t change what happened or stop the images that kept playing in her head. 

She looked at the graves that she and Rex had already dug. The helmets staring back at her, each with their own markers of individuality that had been cruelly stripped away at the utterance of a single order. These men had been her friends. They’d been her big brothers. Ever since she first joined in as Anakin’s padawan the men of the 501st had taken her in as their baby sister. They trained with her, they talked with her, they’d been a family. And now all that was in its place was a gaping hole where her heart should have been. 

Blasters that would have never been aimed at her before shooting their lethal bolts. Loving hugs from her family turning to grabs to kill her for a treason she did not commit. The pain on Rex’s face when he tried to fight his chip. The hesitation from Jesse before the order overrode his heart and thoughts. The last look at all of them standing together knowing that they would not survive. 

Every time the shovel dug into the ground, every grave that was dug, every blaster that was positioned, every still cooling body laid to rest, each one sent a new hell to both of them. 

Rex felt nauseous. He’d been bred for war, they all had. He was used to seeing his brothers on the battlefield as terrible as it sounded. Carrying them home to lay them to rest wasn’t something that was new to him. Carrying them to the home they never had but always said was wherever their brothers were, even in death. But they hadn’t died they way they were meant to. Every single one of them were meant to die either on the battlefield winning the war and protecting the Republic or of old age long after the war ended. They weren’t meant to die because chips in their heads forced them to turn on their general’s and kill each other. They weren’t meant to die when the war was so close to ending. Not like this. Never like this. 

The smell of blood wafted through the air. Limbs of his brother’s that had been torn off in the crash scattered the destroyed hanger he was searching in. Out of all the brother’s he’d found he hadn’t found the one he was looking for yet. He ignored the urge to gag as blood squelched under his boot. He couldn’t tell if the dripping noise was from leaking oil and fluid or if it was the sound of a body being drained of the crimson that once gave him life. 

He’d known what would happen when he and Ahsoka got off the ship but that didn’t make any of it any easier to deal with. His brothers were all good people and he’d experienced what it was like under the influence of those chips. Everything that had made them them was gone in an instant. As soon as the order met their ears they were gone. All of them had loved Ahsoka, all of them had loved Anakin. The thought made steel settle into his chest. Where was the General? Was he alright? Was he safe? Had he made it away in time or was he gunned down? 

Good men had turned on good people and for what?

For victory? For peace?

No. It was done for death.

For nothing but pain and suffering. The Jedi were all good people they had led the fight for freedom and peace for as long as Rex knew and none of them deserved to be killed by the people they trusted. 

He had passed Ahsoka on his way into the wreck. He’d seen the tears gliding down her face. He was even dimly aware of his own cutting through the dirt and grime that had built up over the events of the day. Neither of them said a word, easier to deal with the pain in silence, easier to pretend it wasn’t happening if they didn’t acknowledge it and dealt with it in their own way. Rex turned the corner to look behind fallen sheets of durasteel when he finally saw him. The blaster loosely clutched in a nearly limp hand. The markings on the helmet that he would always identify no matter where he was or what was happening. Before he even really knew what he was doing Rex was over at his side. Gently pulling off the helmet and setting it aside to look his brother in the eye. Blood dripped down the side of his face from a cut above his temple while more bubbled up his throat as he choked and wheezed and foamed at the corners of his mouth. But he was alive, and that was the only thing Rex wanted to focus on.

“Jesse…”

There was recognition in his eyes, pain, horror, so many emotions and Rex suddenly realized that the headwound must have set him free from the chips control. Jesse opened his mouth to speak but before any real words could come out he coughed and choked on blood. It was only when Rex was lifting him to cradle him in his arms that he saw the metal rod puncturing the left side of his chest. 

“R-rex..i-is the commander-”

“She’s alright. She’s safe.”

Jesse’s breathing was ragged, blood bubbling up with every breath and while Rex knew what was going to happen he tried to defy it. He couldn’t let another brother die in his arms. Not again. 

“You’re going to be okay I’m going to get you out of here-”

“C-can’t...won’t make it...T-tell...tell Ahsoka….tell her I’m s-sorry...I-I’m sorry to you too...Rex...I didn’t..”

Both of them were crying now. Rex kept one hand cradling Jesse’s head up and the other resting on his chest above his heart. They both knew what was coming. But that didn’t mean they had to like it. 

“You can tell her yourself. She’s just outside.”

“I-I’m sorry...I’m sorry...Rex p-please…”

“I know..I know brother shh. It wasn’t your fault just please don’t die like this.”

Another wet cough. More blood covering his chin and dripping down onto Rex’s hand. So much of the white and blue armor was stained at this point Rex thought he’d have to remove half of it. He could feel the heart slowing under his hand, heard the breaths getting shallower and farther apart. It was now or never. His throat felt clogged by the sobs that wanted to escape but he knew if he didn’t say it now he would never get another chance and he would never forgive himself.   
“You’re alright..You’re alright Jesse. It’s okay...You did good brother.”

“I-I never..n-never wanted t-to hurt e-either of you…”

“I know...I know you didn’t...It wasn’t your fault.”

The tears fell in heavy streams down each of their faces. Even when Jesse fell into another coughing fit that left more blood bubbling and fizzing from his lungs and out of his mouth. 

“You did the best you could Jesse. I’m proud of you..I’m sorry I wasn’t fast enough-”

“Don’t you g-go taking the g-general’s..h-habits now...You...you’re gunna m-make this r-right...a-aren’t you Rex?...K-keep them s-safe?....”

All he could do was nod through the tears. Their gifted time was nearly out, he had to say it now.

“I promise. I’ll find the general. I’ll keep them both safe. You look out for us all okay?”

Jesse chuckled a little even though it resulted in more coughing, more blood.

“Y-you got it...captain.”

Another coughing fit interrupted the both of them. Harsher than the last ones and blood coming up in droves. Shuddering gasps getting weaker by the second until they stopped. The chest under Rex’s hand falling still to never move again. 

“Jesse?...Jesse..come on...no don’t do this...not like this..”

He shook the body in his arms. Gentle nudges growing more intense by the moment. He didn’t get to say it. He was too late. Too late to save his family. The sobs tore out of him before he could stop them. Instead he bent around the still body in his arms and finally allowed himself to grieve for everything and everyone. To hold onto the corpse of his brother and let the hurt go through him.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry Jesse..I couldn’t...I love you brother..”

Rex didn’t know how long he sat there. All he knew was the tears had stopped flowing and the body in his arms was growing cold. The blood pooling around them turning to gel like a grotesque drying paint. He needed to leave the wreck. He needed to take Jesse out to the others, lay him to rest. But then he thought of Ahsoka. Thought of her and Jesse hanging out together in the mess, playing pranks on each other and him and the general. Thought of how close they’d all been with each other. He’d had his alone time to grieve, she deserved a warning of what was coming at least. So carefully he pulled his arms away from Jesse’s cooling body and activated the commlink on his wrist. He knew he wouldn’t have to wait long for her to answer so he gathered his emotions together while pulling his dead brother into his arms and preparing to carry him. He hadn’t even left the ground yet when she answered. 

“Rex?”

“I…” He had to tell her, he knew that, but it didn’t make any of it any easier. Despite all the death they’d both seen she was still his little sister and he wanted to shield her from as much pain as he could. “I found him...I’ve got Jesse…”

Silence fell over the link like the touch of death and for a moment Rex wasn’t sure that he’d get a reply before her voice filled the void and shattered his heart again with every soft spoken word.

“Bring him home Rex...Bring him home.”

**Author's Note:**

> More is coming. I've sold my soul to this fandom again like I did when I was young but now I have the power and ability to write. More stories are coming.


End file.
